[3H]-Ouabain binding to peripheral organs of cats: effect of ethanol.

1 The specific [3H]-ouabain binding to microsomal fractions derived from cat heart, liver, spleen, and kidney increased significantly following chronic administration of ethanol. 2 Since ouabain binds exclusively to cell membrane (Na+ + K+)-adenosine triphosphatase ((Na+ + K+)-ATPase), these results provide evidence for an increase in number of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase macromolecules during chronic alcoholism. 3 The importance of the increase in number of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase molecules in the adaptive increase in ethanol metabolism and cardiac myopathy in chronic alcoholism is discussed.